Recent MDR Action Items

This is a selective (not exhaustive) list of issues that have or are being addressed on the Marina Peninsula.

The VAPP project on Hurricane St was approved with very minor modifications by the Coastal Commission on Sept 11th. Unfortunately, it will be a multi-year nightmare for residents and visitors in and around Hurricane St and will impact, to varying degrees, everyone on the Marina Peninsula. Additionally it will exacerbate ongoing issues of emergency egress and ingress (see below) by expanding density, blocking routes (even temporarily), and adding equipment & workers into the potential hazard zone.

There is one more opportunity for the public to mitigate the impact of this project. The City Planning Commission (CPC) will hold a hearing to approve the re-zoning of the VAPP and proposed parking lot properties (from residential to utility) on January 22nd starting @ 8:30a in Van Nuys (Van Nuys City Hall, 14410 Sylvan St). Please plan to speak at this important hearing whether in person or via Zoom.

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Evacuation plans have been generally ad hoc and done in the heat of the emergency. This approach has not been highly successful as recent problems with the Palisades Fire have demonstrated. Hazards facing the community include tsunamis, tropical storm flooding, hazardous materials incidents and targeted violence, which will be complicated by the VAPP construction project.

We have requested LASAN (LA Sanitation, the project owner) initiate a working group comprised of representatives from the Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD), Los Angeles Fire Department (LAFD), Los Angeles Department of Transportation (LADOT), Los Angeles Emergency Management Department (LAEMD) and LASAN as the responsible party for the contract work, as well as a minimum of three representatives selected by the community to address the following issues:

• Identification of evacuation routes and emergency ingress routes
• Estimated evacuation times and numbers evacuated.
• Mitigate blocking of evacuation routes/cooperate with the evacuation process.
• Effective alternatives to evacuation such as shelter in place.
• Alert and warning procedures.
• Addressing and including the needs of Persons with Disabilities and Access and Functional Needs (PDAFN).
• Public education and practice.

Traci Park has now taken a personal interest in this issue. We will be collaborating with her to develop a more robust plan for the Marina Peninsula and Silver Strand.

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Profound changes to our environment are not just coming, they’re already here. What could have been prevented decades ago can only be partially mitigated today. Don’t even ask about tomorrow. Are you prepared? Are we as a community prepared?

While some see our large, groomed beach as something that will live in perpetuity, we know this is simply not the case. Beach erosion is a real problem up and down the California coast. You may want to read “California Against the Sea” to better understand the complexity of this issue. Written by Los Angeles Times coastal reporter Rosanna Xia, she asks “As climate chaos threatens the places we love so fiercely, will we finally grasp our collective capacity for change?”

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Speed humps have now been installed along Pacific Ave between Hurricane and Lighthouse plus multiple humps between Lighthouse and the Jetty. Big thanks to Sean Silva, CD-11 deputy in Venice, for his continued support.

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A developer is proposing to build a 5-story, 59-foot high, 25-unit residential apartment building providing only 9 on-site parking spaces. This proposed development would require modification of existing building codes and zoning provisions, including:

• 5-story 59-foot building is 28 feet higher than current height restriction
• Only 9 parking spaces instead of the required 57 spaces required by code
• 25 units which double the density permitted by codes
• Decreased in front, rear and side yard setbacks, which could cause health and safety issues for the fire department (among others)

For more information, please visit the Concerned Neighbors website.

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The Lighthouse Bridge is increasingly exhibiting signs of distress and requires urgent repairs. This poses an escalating threat to community safety and beach access such as when the Bridge was unexpectedly closed last July 4th. The city acknowledges this imperative but is limited by current budgetary challenges, hence CD-11’s effort to seek an alternative funding source. Our Council Member Traci Park has identified a potential Federal funding source. Her team is asking the community to sign this petition which is being shared with the final decision makers. Please click on the image below to join 738 neighbors who have signed the petition. Share it with anyone who cares about the bridge.

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